1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly, to a computer system in which a front port unit can slide up and down on a main body casing of the computer system (i.e., of a main computer cabinet).
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a computer system comprises a main body including a main casing accommodating and supporting hardware components, such as a CPU (central processing unit), etc., an input device connected to the main body and through which data is inputted, and an output device connected to the main body and through which data inputted from the input unit is outputted as a picture, etc.
The main body can be classified into a desktop type in which a width of the main body is longer than its height, and a tower type in which a width of the main body is shorter than its height. Hereinafter, a computer system equipped with a tower type main body will be described by way of example.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional computer system comprises a main body 100 including a main casing 110, a front cover 130 covering the front of the main casing 110, a main cover 120 covering the upper and side parts of the main casing 110; an input device (not shown), such as a keyboard, a mouse, etc., connected to the main body 100 and through which data is inputted; and an output device (not shown), such as a monitor, for receiving the data from the main body 100 and displaying a picture (an image).
The main casing 110 includes a front panel 111 formed with a plurality of drive trays 112 receiving hardware components, such as a CD-ROM (compact disc—read only memory) drive, etc., a rear panel 113 formed with a plurality of slots 114 through which ports (not shown) of the hardware components (not shown) received in the drive trays 112 as well as other hardware components, such as a sound card, a modem card, etc, installed in the main body 110 are connected to connectors (not shown) of external devices (not shown), and a supporting frame 115 disposed between the front and rear panels 111 and 113 and forming a bottom and one side wall of the main casing 110.
In particular, through the slots 114 of the rear panel 113, the ports of the hardware components, such as a sound card, a modem card, etc., are exposed to the outside so as to be connected to the connectors of the external devices. Thus, the connectors of the external devices are connected to the ports of the hardware components, so that an electric signal is transmitted between the hardware components and the external devices.
On the other hand, among the ports provided in the rear panel 113, ports 140 can be provided in the front panel 111 (hereinafter referred to as “front ports”). The front ports 140 accommodate connection of connectors of the external devices, such as an ear phone, a mouse, etc., that are frequently connected and disconnected. Further, the front cover 130 is formed with a front port exposure hole 133 in correspondence to the front ports 140, so that the front ports 140 are exposed to the outside of the main body 100 through the front port exposure hole 133. Thus, the front ports 140 are convenient for a user to connect the connectors of the external devices to the main body 100 and to disconnect them therefrom.
Herein, FIG. 1 illustrates the front port 140 disposed in a front lower part of the main body 100, but the front port may be disposed in a front upper part or a front middle part of the main body 100.
However, in the conventional computer system, if the main body 100 which has the front port 140 disposed in the front lower part thereof is placed under a desk, a user has to bend down to connect a connector of an external device to one of the front ports 140 and to disconnect it therefrom, so that it is inconvenient for the user.
In contrast, if the main body 100, which has the front ports 140 disposed in a front upper part or a front middle part thereof, is placed on the desk, a cable of the external device hangs down in front of the main body 100, thereby deteriorating outer appearance of the main body 100 and inconveniencing the user.